IK Start facts for kids
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| Full name | Idrettsklubben Start | ||
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| Founded | 19 September 1905 | ||
| Ground | Sør Arena Kristiansand |
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| Capacity | 14,563 | ||
| Head coach | Azar Karadas | ||
| League | Norwegian First Division | ||
| 2024 | 1. divisjon, 12th of 16 | ||
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Idrettsklubben Start, often called IK Start, is a football club from Kristiansand, Norway. The name "Start" means "The sports club Start." They play in the Norwegian First Division, which is the second-highest league in Norway.
The club was started on September 19, 1905. Their current head coach is Azar Karadas. When they play at home, the team wears yellow jerseys, black shorts, and black socks. For away games, they wear black jerseys, yellow shorts, and yellow socks.
IK Start plays its home games at Sør Arena, their own football stadium that opened in 2007. Before that, they played at Kristiansand Stadion. The club used to have an official fan club called "Tigerberget," but this changed in 2017.
Contents
Club History: Ups and Downs
IK Start has won the Norwegian championship twice, in 1978 and 1980. They also played in the European Cup in 1979 and 1981. In 2006, they even qualified for the UEFA Champions League again.
After 1995, the club had some tough times. But in 2004, they won the Norwegian First Division and moved up to the top league, the Eliteserien.
In 2005, Start had a great comeback season in the top league, finishing second. This earned them a spot in the UEFA Cup in 2006. In the UEFA Cup, they beat teams from the Faroe Islands and Ireland. They even won a penalty shootout! However, they were eventually knocked out by Ajax from the Netherlands.
The year 2007 was difficult for Start. They struggled as a team and had problems with their management. This led to them finishing 13th and being moved down to the First Division. In 2008, the club faced money problems, but the local government helped save them.
Despite financial challenges, Start worked to save money. For example, they changed the playing surface at Sør Arena. In 2009, Knut Tørum became the head coach. Start had some strong results, like being the only team to beat Rosenborg at their home ground in 2009.
In 2011, Start was struggling again, and Tørum resigned. Mons Ivar Mjelde took over, but he couldn't stop them from being moved down again. However, in 2012, Start played very well and earned promotion back to the top league.
From July 2015 to September 2016, IK Start went 39 games in the top league without a win. This was the longest winless streak in any top division in Europe!
Team Badge
Since the club began in 1905, their badge was a blue and white flag. In 2017, they changed to a more modern, all-black badge. But after four years, in March 2022, Start decided to go back to their classic blue and white flag badge.
Team Achievements
IK Start has won many titles and reached high positions in Norwegian football:
- Eliteserien (Top League):
- Winners (2): 1978, 1980
- Runners-up (1): 2005
- Third place (7): 1973, 1975, 1979, 1983, 1984, 1991, 1992
- Norwegian Cup:
- Semi-finalist (7): 1975, 1978, 1988, 2000, 2006, 2011, 2018
- 1. divisjon (First Division):
- Winners (4): 1968, 1972, 2004, 2012
- Promoted to a higher league: 1958–59, 1988, 1999, 2001, 2008, 2017
Current Players
Here are the players currently on the IK Start team:
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Players on Loan
Some players from IK Start are currently playing for other teams for a short time:
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Coaching Staff
Here are the people who help coach and manage the team:
| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| Head coach |  Azar Karadas |
| Assistant coach | Thomas Pereira (footballer) |
| Physio | Pål Erik Pedersen |
| Equipment manager | Rune Hægeland |
See also
In Spanish: IK Start Kristiansand para niños
